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MichaelVer · Feb 23, 2012, 10:06 AM

Help!!!
I can't boot my macbook pro anymore, it all started like this:
It became very slow, so i decided to do a verify of the disk with disk utility. It said I had to boot from the disk and do repair disk because it was damaged.
Ok, I do reboot and boot from the disk, push repair and then...
Unable to repair the disk, backup as much as you can and reinstall the operating system, invalid node structure!
I thought, ok no problem I just reboot and backup everything... But NO ! I can't boot my computer anymore now! Did I lost all my files now? HELP !!!!!!!!

Chito · Feb 23, 2012, 10:40 AM

I would try DiskWarrior.
DiskWarrior 4 - The Disk Utility for Mac Disk Repair, Mac Directory Repair, Mac Disk Recovery, Mac Data Recovery

OreoCookie · Feb 23, 2012, 10:41 AM

Did you make regular backups before you had problems with your disk?
If not, there is only one piece of software that I can recommend, and that's Data Rescue. I would not try Diskwarrior. (I have both. Data Rescue has never let me down, except when I tried using it after DiskWarrior.)

Do not try to repair your disk before using Data Rescue. This is very important. If you try to be cheap and use some other software such as Diskwarrior, you will in all likelihood make matters worse and permanently send your files into data nirvana.

To my knowledge, Data Rescue is the only software that only reads from the damaged volume and tries to reconstruct it on another volume. So you will need another empty hard drive that is at least as big as your other hard drive. Get Data Rescue, follow the instructions and recover your files.

MichaelVer · Feb 23, 2012, 10:49 AM

I was already thinking of buying the Disk warrior; after reading this : Failed HD clone, invalid node structure, OSX won�t boot [Archive] - MacRumors Forums

However; will check your alternative first. Do you know people with the same problem, solving the problem with Data Rescue ?

chris v · Feb 23, 2012, 10:56 AM

Data Rescue won't fix the drive -- it'll hopefully recover your files, if you have another drive to copy them to. DiskWarrior should ostensibly fix the node structure problem, but OreoCookie's point is to recover your data first, in case DiskWarrior makes matters worse, instead of fixing it, as a precaution.

MichaelVer · Feb 23, 2012, 11:01 AM

What I want at this moment is to recover my files; I dont care about the macbook or its harddrive, Should I use DW or DR instead? Or should I bring my macbook to a professional who can recover the data for $$$$$

?

chris v · Feb 23, 2012, 11:10 AM

Data Rescue. It rescues data, hence the name.

MichaelVer · Feb 23, 2012, 11:13 AM

So I just connect the broken MBP with a firewire cable to the other one with the DR software installed, then I use the program like that? Can I recover the data to a external harddisk connected to the macbook pro with DR on it? Or does it only recover to the harddisk itself?

-Q- · Feb 23, 2012, 11:13 AM

If file recovery is what you want, Data Rescue is the software.

Disk recovery by a professional will give you a second heart attack when you see their estimate.

OreoCookie · Feb 23, 2012, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by MichaelVer

So I just connect the broken MBP with a firewire cable to the other one with the DR software installed, then I use the program like that? Can I recover the data to a external harddisk connected to the macbook pro with DR on it? Or does it only recover to the harddisk itself?

Since you can no longer boot, the easiest option, I guess, is to book from Data Rescue's Emergency DVD. It will boot into a special OS X and then use Data Rescue to recover your file from your internal hard drive with the damaged volume onto an external hard drive.

By the way, in the future, you should use at least Time Machine to back up your data. It's free, included with OS X and extremely simple to setup.

MichaelVer · Feb 23, 2012, 11:20 AM

Thanks guys !

MichaelVer · Feb 27, 2012, 10:22 AM

I recovered everything using Data Rescue ! I hope my Harddrive won't fail again now, it was a hassle to get it working again, re-installing was not easy...
I might buy a SSD after what happened.., I'm looking for a super fast SSD, reliable with 250GB storage. Any recommendations ?

OreoCookie · Feb 27, 2012, 10:57 AM

You should also start making backups. These are much better at preventing heart attacks

MichaelVer · Feb 27, 2012, 11:52 AM

Sure will do!
What is a good SSD for a mid 2011 macbook pro?
Should I het a 3G or a 6G one?

besson3c · Feb 27, 2012, 12:32 PM

An SSD may not give you any more data integrity. The Invalid Node Structure error you ran into was due to filesystem (HFS+) corruption which could either be the result of a failing drive, or natural file system corruption that is not all that uncommon with HFS+. If your drive is failing replacing it with anything else will be what you want to do, but if it is just file system corruption your drive replacement will accomplish very little.

What does the SMART status of your drive say in Disk Utility? This is one way of ascertaining whether your drive is failing.

MichaelVer · Feb 27, 2012, 01:48 PM

The SMART status says 'verified'.
I was thinking of buying a SSD before I encountered problems, I heard Intel is the best?

chris v · Feb 28, 2012, 04:30 PM

They're all damn fast. I like Other World Computing mainly because they have fantastic customer service. Thier house-brand of SSDs seem rated pretty fast, though I don't know vs. the intel. But still, it's like arguing paint colors on the Ferrari vs. a spinning drive.

Please order a nice backup drive while you're at it, and set it up with Time Machine.